Orthoses are externally applied devices that can be used to modify or support structural and/or functional characteristics of the neuromuscular and skeletal system. Orthoses may be used in various applications to control, guide, limit or immobilize an extremity, a joint and/or a body segment of a human subject.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,620 relates to a hand and wrist joint orthosis designed to support the hand of a human subject in the so-called intrinsic-plus position. The hand and wrist joint orthosis is in particular intended to be used for human subjects suffering from tendovaginitis but may also be used in the case of severe distortions, after wrist joint operations and tendon operations.
The hand and wrist joint orthosis is in the form of a splint angled at positions corresponding to the wrist joint, metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints to support the hollow hand and permit the intrinsic-plus position. The splint is housed in a profile-sewn supporting body fixating the splint to the hand and forearm of the human subject by means of inelastic VELCRO® strip fasteners.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,383,827; 5,466,202 and 5,593,369 disclose an inflatable hand orthosis that promotes a functional positioning of the fingers and thumb of a human subject. The hand orthosis is in particular designed to assist in prevention and correction of hand and finger contracture and deformity in human subjects having suffered from stroke, paralysis, muscle tendon injury or nerve injury.
The inflatable hand orthosis is in the form of an inflatable bladder to be positioned between the palm and fingers. A plurality of inner seams are present on the bladder on the side opposite to the palm side for forming interconnected passages. These passages are adapted for aligning and extending the fingers and abducting the thumb.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,186 discloses a hand splint with a forearm support, an elongated and inelastically deformable connector and a hand piece. The connector can be adjusted to accommodate various contractures to a patient's wrist, hand or fingers.
There is, however, still a need for improvements within the technical field of wrist-hand-finger orthoses and in particular for human subjects having spasticity and/or contractures in the wrist, hand and/or digits, such as following a neurological disease or cerebrovascular accident.